The Villainess' Joyful Married Life (59 Chapters Left to Complete) - Chapter 2
Eshika slowly tried to recall.
Her past life, that is.
Eshika Bridget—she had been born as the only daughter of a merchant family that had purchased a baronial title with the immense success of their jewelry business, and had grown up like a hothouse flower.
Her two elder brothers had been trained in business, but Eshika had no interest in such things.
Her life goal had been the same as that of any ordinary noble young lady: to marry into a fine household, bear beautiful children, and live a life filled with love and happiness.
Then, during a visit to the capital Torres, she had chanced upon Duke Kalian Klaus and fallen for him at first sight—captivated by his handsome looks and refined manners—and had begged her father endlessly to let her become his wife.
Her father had tried to dissuade her, saying, “His mother, Leona Klaus, is no ordinary woman,” but Eshika had refused to yield.
In the end, in exchange for an enormous dowry to rescue the financially troubled House of Duke Klaus, Eshika realized her dream of marrying Kalian… and…
“A dog’s life began.”
Gazing out at the dark window of her north-facing attic room, Eshika murmured in an elegant tone.
Aside from the contempt of the duchess and the disdain of her in-laws, Kalian had never once treated her as his proper wife.
The life Eshika had dreamed of crumbled to pieces, and she had only confided her plight through letters to her childhood friend Yuri, begging her to come.
Yuri, who had been her playmate since childhood—daughter of her nurse and raised alongside her in her parental home—had gladly entered House Klaus as her personal maid…
In this place where she had no one else to trust, Eshika relied solely on Yuri.
True, her reputation seemed to have worsened somehow after Yuri’s arrival, but Yuri remained the only person Eshika truly trusted.
“If only I’d regained my memories sooner, I wouldn’t have been so foolishly deceived.”
Back when she lived as Chun Young Ryung, there were countless people who had stabbed her in the back—too many to count on her fingers.
Had she retained that instinct, she would have seen through Yuri just by the way she blinked… yet, foolishly, she’d been tricked for years.
Eshika sat at her dusty, old writing desk.
And began writing in characters from the Central Plains—unreadable to anyone here.
“First, I regain my strength.”
In her previous life, Chun Young Ryung had been the daughter of the Heavenly Demon Sect’s leader and possessed formidable martial prowess.
“I’ve learned that a man’s love cannot protect me.”
Though this body, untrained in cultivation, was frail, she was fortunate—the spiritual energy here seemed far denser than in the martial world.
At most ten years, perhaps as few as five, and she could reclaim half her former power.
“Second, I’ll uproot this family, ferment them into jeotgal, and then strip them bare before discarding them.”
Kalian and House Klaus had planted such deep hatred in her that simple divorce and forgetting them would never suffice.
Here, she would destroy them elegantly—according to this world’s ways—devouring their very souls.
She knew House Klaus’s weaknesses well, thanks to what she’d read.
And now, every detail she’d seen and heard as Eshika of Dongtae Snow was falling into place like pieces of a puzzle, from the smallest to the largest.
It would take time, but the outcome would surely be satisfying.
“Third…”
Eshika’s lips curled into a wicked smile as she contemplated her final plan.
This life must be different.
Completely unlike the fate Eshika Klaus was destined to suffer, as she’d read in that book.
Just then, a knock sounded at the door.
“I’m coming in.”
It was Cella—one of the maids who had tormented her—speaking in her usual indifferent tone.
**
“P-please… spare my life…”
Cella was certain an assassin from outside had broken in.
The duchess had vanished, and some unknown figure radiating eerie energy now pressed something sharp against her throat.
Her whole body trembled violently, and she struggled to breathe as if dying.
“Do you know who I am?”
An icy voice she’d never heard before spoke from behind her.
It sounded neither fully male nor female.
Cella squeezed her eyes shut and whispered in a trembling voice,
“I… I saw nothing… Please, spare me…”
House Klaus maintained strict security and vigilance.
Anyone who had breached those defenses must surely be a highly skilled assassin.
“If I spare you, you’ll rush straight to the Klaus demon and report everything that happened here.”
“The Klaus demon” was slang for the duchess.
“N-no! If you let me go, I won’t utter a word. Please… show me mercy just this once.”
Cella shook her head vigorously in denial.
The sharp object at her throat felt as though it might pierce her flesh and steal her life at any moment.
“Cella.”
At the sound of her name spoken from behind, she flinched.
Indeed, she nearly jolted her eyes wide open in shock.
‘How does this person know my name?’
“Your mother and younger sister live in Achembel. You send them half your wages, but since that’s never enough, you occasionally pilfer from the duchess’s storeroom.”
Cella’s heart pounded wildly.
The gifts received by the duchess were so numerous that even she herself couldn’t keep proper track of them all.
Thus, stealing a cheap ring or bracelet was hardly a noteworthy act.
“Your colleagues Anis and Mei are also involved in this, and yes—Dave covers for you.”
At the mention of Dave’s name, Cella felt faint.
Dave, one of the senior guards, shared a subtle, intimate rapport with her.
“If you trouble me, every one of your crimes will be exposed, and you and your friends will be cast out.”
“…”
“Then there will be four people whose lives I can easily take.”
Hearing the assassin’s words, Cella’s entire body shook.
Four… surely meant her family in Achembel, Dave, and herself.
The only place where she could find protection was within House Klaus.
‘Could this assassin… be someone from inside?’
Otherwise, there’d be no way they’d know about such trivial thefts among the maids and guards.
Her heart hammered in her chest.
“I won’t say a word. Please believe me.”
Cella bowed her head with eyes still closed.
She didn’t know why this person was in the duchess’s room, but to save her life—and to prevent utter ruin—she had to submit completely.
“I’ll let you live. Instead of that rotten bread, bring warm soup and fine food, and leave it outside the door.”
Finally, the sharp object pressing her throat was withdrawn.
“You mean… food?”
“Yes. Bring the finest meal for every mealtime.”
Though the spot where the blade had pressed still stung, Cella now felt as if she might live.
The assassin’s request was oddly ordinary, which made her suspicious.
‘Could this assassin… be a friend of the duchess?’
Impossible. The duchess’s only friend was her handmaiden, Yuri Anesis.
Besides, the duchess had assaulted her right before His Grace, seemingly ending their relationship entirely.
‘Perhaps the assassin is blackmailing the duchess by exploiting her weaknesses.’
That seemed more plausible.
An assassin this seasoned—aware of internal affairs—would surely know countless vulnerabilities of the duchess, who was foolish and idle.
Maybe he was coercing her while she recovered from her head injury… or perhaps…
Since she couldn’t see the duchess in the bed, he might have her tied up.
‘But it’s none of my concern… I’ve got my own problems to worry about.’
Cella would faithfully carry out the orders given by the assassin in the duchess’s room.
After all, no one in the ducal household truly cared about the duchess’s condition.
She quietly exited the room, still holding the stale bread and water she’d brought.
**
“Royal relief for Sorbe? His Royal Highness the Crown Prince’s scheme to extort money is far too blatant. Felope’s situation isn’t good either. Damn it, there’s no decency left.”
In the rose garden of Klaus Manor,
Gaben Felope—Kalian Klaus’s close friend and lord of the Felope territory—frowned and grumbled his complaint.
Kalian merely responded with a stern expression and silent agreement.
Though Sorbe’s famine had indeed reached its peak, House Klaus’s finances weren’t generous enough to open their granaries.
Maintaining and training troops always demanded immense sums of money, after all.
“By the way…”
Gaben, gazing at the rose garden, casually asked Kalian,
“I heard the duchess sustained an injury. Has her condition improved somewhat…?”
“Let’s discuss that another time.”
Kalian cut him off with a cold glare.
Startled by the icy tone, Gaben’s hand holding his teacup twitched.
Kalian Klaus had always been a man of innate cruelty—but toward his wife, he was even more so.
‘No matter how bad their marriage, must he show such open disdain? Tch.’
Kalian frowned and stared into the distance.
That vile woman, Eshika, who had flown at him with wild eyes.
They said she’d regained consciousness after a week of high fever.
Ten days had already passed since then.
The woman who used to parade around the gardens boasting of her lavish jewels hadn’t stepped out of her room even after waking.
What had gotten into her? Not that he cared to find out.
‘I hope she never leaves her room again.’
Kalian scowled as he thought,
‘No—better yet, I hope she just dies.’
Male lead is reincarnated to save his wife
I’ve also read this one twice already. The female lead is kinda soft and gets embarrassed easily—not really my type, but the plot is definitely worth reading. Hurry up and read it, y’all!
Intro
When Shen Yuan encountered Su Jin again in his previous life, she had already become the Prime Minister of the current dynasty. As for him, the former top young master of the capital, he had long since fallen into the abyss, becoming a singer on a pleasure boat.
After a song ended, he was redeemed and sent to the Su Residence.
Su Jin respected and cherished him, gave him a roof over his head, and bestowed him with warmth. Shen Yuan fell deeper and deeper, but before he could express his feelings, Su Jin passed away.
Shen Yuan died to follow her in death, but instead, he returned to when he was fifteen years old.
At that time, he was not yet engaged, and Su Jin was just a poor scholar.
Shen Yuan gritted his teeth, casting aside all his pride, and thought of ways to coax and entice her every day.
The colder and more indifferent Su Jin was towards him, the more proactive Shen Yuan became.
He was not afraid of being mocked by the world, only wanting to marry his Wife-master early, to hold her hand and never let go for a lifetime.
[Note: This story will not specifically point out the male lead’s reincarnation time point; it’s all in the details. Whenever you feel that the male lead is acting strangely, he has most likely been reincarnated.]
[Touch the gear icon in the bottom right corner of the screen to move to the next chapter if you want.]
MANGA DISCUSSION
10 Comments
Chapter Comments (375)
Side comment: Oh, so we’re ending the chapter with a mysterious lake encounter AND a curious Crown Prince? Someone is absolutely going to investigate this woman😂😂
The contrast here is interesting too though. Eshika is quietly rebuilding herself while the political plot is already moving around her. Resban noticing something unusual on Klaus territory feels like the first indication that her private transformation isn’t going to stay private for long.
(And… Resban)
Zzz here comes the Crown Prince. The story really said, “congrats on your second life, here’s another extremely powerful man entering the narrative” 😂
But I actually like that his “first”encounter with Eshika is so mysterious, he doesn’t even properly meet her, he just sees someone impossible standing in the middle of a lake and leaves with more questions than answers.For the line: (The jewelry trap)
Oh, Eshika is smart smart. She didn’t need to accuse Yuri of stealing a single jewel. She simply cut off the supply and watched Yuri’s entire position collapse on its own. That’s much more satisfying than immediately exposing her- because now Yuri has to reveal what she’s been doing through her own reaction.
Inline Comments (39)
“You betrayed your friend, stole her jewels, and now you fawn over the Grand Lad
Why did they become friends to begin with? It’s not like yuri knew eshika would marry him
Cella spat out bloody saliva and glared at Yuri.
Does cella know martial arts at this point or no? I remember she asked
“This mother… can’t bear living under such injustice… uuhuhu….”
This guy is hopefully just gonna be an endgame final boss or something
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Onigirimamireads
What I really appreciate so far is that the reincarnation isn’t being used as a simple redo my romance kinda device. Young Ryung’s first life directly informs Eshika’s second one- she knows what blind devotion to a powerful man cost her, and now she refuses to make the same mistake twice. Her revenge isn’t just emotional— it comes from experience, information, and a completely different understanding of power. That makes her transformation feel much more earned!
Onigirimamireads
(On Kalian’s thoughts at the end)
“I hope she just dies” is such an important glimpse into how far gone their relationship already was. He isn’t merely indifferent to her suffering, he genuinely wants her gone. Which makes Eshika’s decision to stop chasing his affection feel even more satisfying. She isn’t losing a loving husband; she’s finally realizing she has nothing worth saving here. Worthless piece of a husband. (Doesn’t even deserve that title)
Onigirimamireads
For the line: “I’ve learned that a man’s love cannot protect me”
THIS is the lesson her first life should’ve taught her. She sacrificed her freedom and everything she was for the Emperor, only to learn that being loved by a powerful man doesn’t necessarily mean being protected by him. I really like that her second chance isn’t simply about finding a better man-it’s about becoming someone who can protect herself.
Onigirimamireads
(On Eshika knowing the original story)
I love the advantage of her remembering both lives. She doesn’t just know the future because she’s a reader, she has the instincts of someone who survived the martial world and the information of someone who already knows this world’s plot. That’s a pretty terrifying combination for everyone who underestimated Eshika
Onigirimamireads
For the line: “First, I regain my strength”
Honestly, this is already such a satisfying reincarnation setup 😭 Most villainesses wake up and immediately think about changing their wardrobe or winning back the ML. Eshika woke up and went, first, let me rebuild my cultivation and then dismantle this entire household. Priorities 😂